“Haven’t you seen Jorge?”
“No,” put in Alano’s father.
“It’s a long story. Let me introduce another American,” and I presented Gilbert Burnham.
Sitting down in as cool a spot as we could find, each related all he had to tell. My story is already known.
“When you did not show up in camp I was much worried,” said the captain, “and I sent men out at once to hunt up both you and Jorge. During this search one of the men, Circuso, met some of the Spanish troops, and fought desperately to escape them, but was shot and killed.”
“Poor chap!” I could not help but murmur. “Did he leave a family?”
“No; he was a bachelor, without kith or kin.”
“I think he might have escaped,” put in Alano, “but he was so fierce against the soldiers from Spain. He said they had no right to come over here and fight us, and he was in for killing every one of them.”
“While the hunt for you and Jorge was going on,” continued Alano’s father, "the rebel leader, Captain Conovas, arrived and said he had instructions to attack Cubineta and make an attempt to release the prisoners at the fort. I decided to join him in the attack, at the same time thinking you might be a prisoner with your father.
“We operated from the south and from across the river, and soon took possession of the fort, only to be repulsed with a heavy loss. Then our party withdrew to this quarter, and here we are.”